Horse-detacher.



C. B. GUMMONS.

HORSE DBTAGHBR.-

APPLOATION FILED JUNE 3,'1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

4' SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTR gmu, I6. om

caLUMBlA PLANOGRAPH c0..wAsHlNoTnN. D. C.

C. B. CUMMONS.

HORSE DETAGHBR. APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: s, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

lll/1111 4 G. B. GUMMONS.

HORSE DBTACHER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE s, 191s.

1,09 8,229. Patented May 26, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

f @IOW M. wm M 1&7 Wawy( By ATTORNEYS f :oLUMBIA PLANOGRAPHCO..WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. B. GUMMONS.

HORSE DBTAGHER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE s, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH CO..WASHINGTbN. D.

Patented May 26, 1914'.

CLARENCE B. CUMMONS, 0F PLAINVIEW, TEXAS.

HORSE-DETAClI-IERv ers,l of which the following is a specification..

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in horsedetachers.

The objects of the invention are, in general, the provision of a deviceof the character described which will be inexpensive to.

manufacture, having ease of operation and devoid of complicated parts;specifically the provision of a double tree, swingle trees and breastyoke of novel and improved construction and of novel means forassembling them with each other and with the elements by which they arecarried; and more particularly the novel means for detaching draftanimals when attached to said breast yoke and swingle trees.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particularrelation tov certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wheren- Figure 1 shows atop plan view of the device. Figs. 2 and 3, show, respectively, sideelevations of the end of the tongue and mechanism mounted thereon, shownpartially in sect-ion. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the operativemechanism for detaching the draft animals from the breast yoke. Fig. 5is a Sectional end view of the. casing protecting the operating shaftsused in connection with the device. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of thebreast yoke. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of one end of aswingle tree. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the tug bolt ofthe swingle trees, showing their operating rods attached thereto. Fig. 9shows a sectional view of the bearings in which said bolt opera-tes.Fig. 10 shows a sectional view of one end of the swingle tree, showingthe means for locking the tug bolts in their withdrawn position. Fig. 11shows a sectional view of one end of the swingle tree ktaken on the linea-' of Fig. 7. Fig. 12 shows a sectional view of one of the swingletrees 'taken on the line Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 3. 1913.

Patented May Y26, 1914. Serial No. 771,446.

tft of Fig. 1. Fig. 13 shows al sectional view of the swingle tree andits connection to the double tree, as taken on the line @-0 of Fig. 1.Figs. 14 and 15 show the link connections by which the tug bolts areconnected to the mechanism for withdrawing the same. Fig. 16 shows asectional view of a mechanism for manually withdrawing one of the tugbolts independent of the other. Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional viewof the mechanism for withdrawing the tug bolts. Fig. 18 is an enlargedsectional view of a portion of the' mechanism shown in Fig. 17. Fig. 19is av fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the operating mechanismof the device. Fig. 2O is a fragmentary view, partially in section,showing the connections of the links shown in Figs. 14 and l15 withtheirY operative mechanism. Fig. 21 is a. sectional end view of themechanism shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 22 is a fragmentary top plan vview ofthe end of the tongue, showing in modified form the breast yoke and themechanism for detaching the draft animal therefrom. Figs. 28 and 24showfront elevation and top plan views, respectively, of a portion ofthe detaching mechanism used in said modified form. Fig. 25 shows afragmentary side elevation of the means through which said detachingmechanism is operated, and Figs. 26 and 27 show, respectively, top planview and a sectional 'end view of a portion of the operating means ofsaid detaching mechanism. s

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1designates the tongue and the numeral 2 refers to the double tree whichis assembled with the tongue 1 by means of the ordinary linch pin (notshown) which passes through said double tree and tongue. Mounted uponthe double tree 2 intermediate its ends is a plate 3 upstanding fromwhich are two supports 4 and 5, spaced a distance apart and whose upperends converge toward each other and carry the ring 6, integraltherewith. Mounted in suitable bearings in the respective supports 4 and5 is a Vshaft 7 which carries the pulleys 8 and 9, Yrigidly mountedthereon and upon the ends of the shaft 7 are rigidly mounted spur gearwheels 10 and V11 which mesh with simi-l lar gear wheels 12 and 13 iixedupon the inner ends oi' the respective shafts 14 and 15. Those shafts 14and 15 extend each way over the douhle tree and are incascd by metallichoods prf: ctors 1G and 17. 'Ehe outer ends oi the s :s 14 and 15 carry,respectively, ri f 'y ountcd bevel ear wheels 18 and i9, wlnc mesh,respectively with the hevel gear wheels 20 and Q1 jidly mounted upon therear ends of the respective shaits Q2 and 23. The. forward ends otl thelast mentioned shafts square and project into similarly sl ed bearings,such as 24 and 25 in the screw gears it@ and 27 so as to be sl abletherein and a he saine time to impa rotation to said screwV gears.

.winele trees aA t.

re .'e ends ot the douhlc tree 2 and are l c( ,ected in the manner shownin 12 and 19, so that the swif @le trees will be resiliently connectedto the double treo. Awlach end of the double tree has metallic plates 30and 51 secured aocve and beneath the saine and the front rear edges areprotected by means of metallic plates and 33. ji strong coil spring` 84is provided for each swingle tree, one end oi which rests against theplate 32 and this spring is incased by a hood 35 whose forward end isbolted to 'the plates 36 and 37 which embrace the swingle tree Q8 and towhich said swingle tree is pivoted. As the s Drin@ 34 is interposedbetween the plate of the double tree and the closed end of the hood 35,it is obvious that it will form a resilient cushion tor the swingle treeand in case of a sudden forward moveinent of the dittanimal the shockagainst the parts will he minimized by reason of said cushion. Theswingle tree ends are illustratod in Fig. 7 and are protected hymetallic hoods such as 38 and the estreme end oi each hood is providedwith grilles and 40, extending substantially at right angles to the bodyportion ot the hood 38 and these guides are provided with alinedapertures, designed to receive, sildabi" 'the tug loolts 41 and 42. Thetug bolts are incased and slidably mounted in suitable casings, such as48 and each is surrounded by a coil spring 44, one end of which restsagainst an annular shoulder 45 of the casing and the other end of whichrests against an annular shoulder 46 of the tug ,boltand the resistanceot said spring normally tends to hold the tug bolt projected through thealined orices oit the guides 39 and 40.

Two short vertical shafts 47, 48 and 49, 50 are provided for therespective swingle trees 28 and Q9 which extend through the plates 36and into the bearings ot the double tree upon which the swingle treespivot, as shown in Fig. 12. @n the upper ends oi these shafts arerigidly mounted screw gears 51, 52, 53 and rEhe screw gears 26 and 27are located between the screw gears ,51, 52,

2Q carried by the l and 53, 54, respectively, and mesh therewith androtation is imparted from the former to the latter.

The shafts 47, 48, 49 and 50 have the arms 5, 56, 57 and 58,respectively, fixed thereto vllic proiect forwardly therefrom. The

ree

h y ends oi the arms 55 and 57 are connectl, respectively, to the tugbolts 41 by the inks 59 and 60 and the tree ends of the arms and 5S areconnected to the tug bolts 42, respectively, hy means ot the links 61and 62. The teeth ot the gear wheels 51 and are so inclined that saidgear wheels will rotate in opposite directions, as the gear .9.6 isturned and the. saine is true ot the gear wheels and with respect to thegear 27. .fr cable 63 is provided which is attached to and wound aroundthe pulley 8, its free end passingl through the ring` 6 and being withinreach of the driver. l/Then it is desired to detach the draft animals,the cable may be pulled which will operate through the pulley 8 torotate the shaft 7 from which, through the mechanism described, rotationwill be imparted to the shafts 14, 15, 22 and 23 and to the respectivegear wheels 9.6 and 27. As the gear wheel 26 rotates, the gear wheelsand will rotate simultaneously and the arms 55 and will be swung aroundtorwardly and the tug bolts 41 and 52 withdrawn from the respective tugs64 and 65 through the operation of the links 59 and 61 and in a similarmanner when the gear wheel Q7 is rotated rotation will be impartedsimulA taneously to the gear wheels 53 and 54 and the arms 57 and swungaround forwardly which will operate through the links 60 and GEZ towithdraw the tug bolts 41 and 42 of the swingle tree 29 from theirrespective tugs 64 and 65.

The links 59, 50, G1, and 62 are connected to their respective tug boltsin the manner illustrated in 8 and will now be described rlhe inner endof each tug bolt is threaded and screwed thereupon is an enlarged head66 which is rotatable, in an enlarged bearing G7 having a reduced neck68 which surrounds the tug bolt butwhich prevents the withdrawing of thehead 6G from its bearing 67 and the respective links are connected toheir respective bearings 67, this mechanism being provided so as topermit the tug bolts to rotate while being' withdrawn trom their tugs.

Experience shows that the rear side of the tug bolts will loe worn bythe tugs and notches formed in which the tugs will engage; said notcheswould prevent the dicct withdrawal oli' the tug bolts. To overcome thisobstacle, in each ot the tug bolts I have provided a spiral groove 69and have arranged in said casing a set bolt 70 whose outer end projectsinto the corresponding groove 59. As the tug boltsvare withdrawn Securedto each end of each swingle treeis a liat spring 7l which is bolted tothe swingle tree at one end and Whose other end is free but normallyrests in a peripheral slot 72 underneath the reduced neck G8. Then thetug bolt is pulled back to release it from the tug and the free Vend ofthe neck G8 clears said spring, the resiliency of the spring causes thefree end thereof to rise into engagement in front of the neck G8 and thetug bolt is thereby locked in its Withdrawn position. Vhen it is desiredto rehitch the draft animals to the swingle trees the spring 71 may bemanually depressed and the tug bolt will be released to the pressure ofthe spring 44 which will operate to project said tug bolt through theopening in the tug provided therefor.

In actual construction, it is contemplated that the arms and linksoperating the tug bolts, as hereinbefore described, Will be entirelyincased, but this incasement forms no part of the invention and only afragmentary View thereof has been shown in Fig. 1G

' and indicated by the numeral 72.

It Will often be found desirable to release onlv one of the tug boltsand in order to er fect this end, I have provided ratchet teeth 7 3along one side of the bearing 67 and have cut an oblong slot 7 4 throughone side of the casing 72 alined with the teeth 7 3. A small lever 75 ispivoted at the point 7 6 to the side of the casing 72 and the pivot endthereof has a segmental rack 77. As said lever is swung around on itspivot the rack 77 is brought into engagement with the rack teeth 73 andthe tug bolt connected with the corresponding bearing member isWithdrawn as said bearing member is forced back through the agency ofsaid lever 75 and its segmental rack 77. When the lever 7 5 is releasedit is pulled back to its original position by means of the spring 78,one end of which is attached to the inner side of said lever and theother end of Which is at* tachedto the casing 72. rlhe gear Wheels 26,51 and 52 are hooded over and protected by a hood 79 and the gear Wheels27 53 and 54 are hooded over and protected by a similar hood 80, saidhoods 79 and 80 being secured to the plate 36. One end of the cable 81is attached to the pulley 9 and said cable passes along the tongue 1 andis incased by a hood similar to the hood 16, shown in Fig. 5. The otherend of this cable 81 is attached to the metallic plate 82 through whichthe mechanism for detaching the draft animals from the breast yoke isoperated. This mechanism Will 110W be described.

Depending from each side of the plate 82 are the rack members 83 and 811Whose inner faces have rack teeth Which mesh, respectively, With therack teeth of the respective gear Wheels 85 and 86, fixed to therespective shafts 87 and 88. These shafts are rotatably mounted inbearings carried by the breast yoke and as a pull is exerted on thecable 81 the plate 82 is moved rearwardly and corresponding rotation isimparted to the gear Wheels 85 and 86 in opposite direction asindicated` by arrows in Fig. 4;.Y

Fixed to the respective shafts 87 and 88 are the arms 89 and 90 Whichproject out rearwardly therefrom, The ends of the breast yoke 91 are inall respects similar to the ends of the sivingle trees, as shown in Fig.7 and are provided With tug bolts 92 and 93 provided to project throughthe breast straps 94- and The outer ends of the respective arms 89 and90 are connected to the inner ends of the respective tug bolts 92 and 93by means of the respective links 96 and 97. As the gear Wheels 85 and 86are rotated, as hereinbefore indicated, the arms 89 and 90 are swungaround rearwardly and a pull is exerted on the tug bolts 92 and 93through the links 96 and 97 and said tug bolts are released from therespective breast straps 94: and 95. The free end of the tongue 1extends through a bearing 98 fixed to the underside of the breast yoke91.

ln case the team is suddenly detached While ruiming away, or when goingat a rapid rate, and the vehicle is provided With a tongue Whose freeend drops to the ground when the draft animals are detached.y the freeend of the tongue is liable to engage With the surface of the ground andthe tongue be broke-n by reason of the momentum of the vehicle. To guardagainst this, l have provided a runner 99 which is attached to the freeend of the tongue, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, Whose forward end is upturned and Whose underside tapers to an edge 100. This runner preventsthe engagement of the end of the tongue with the ground and serves toprevent the tongue from dctiectiug to one side and causing the vehicleto over turn.

In case it is desired to hitch one team in front of another and to theend of the tongue 1, a cable 101 is provided, one end of which isattached to the front end of the plate 82, said cable passing around thepulley Wheel 102, carried by the runner 99 and its other end beingattached to a mechanism similar to that hereinbetore described andoperating in the same manner to detach the team in front.

ln Fig. 22 I have shown a modified form of the breast yoke which will befound best adapted to be used in connection with a stiff vehicle tongue,or one which does not drop down when the draft animals are detached.rThis modified form will now be described.

rfriangular plates 103, 103 ire hinged to each side of the tongue bymeans of shafts 1011, 10% which pass through hinge members carried bythe sides of the tongue and plat s 10?, 103, respectively. Each of theplates 103 has a breast yoke 105, said yokes diverging laterally on eachside of the tf'vngue. The. outer end of each yoke 105 is constructed ina manner similar to the outer end of the swingle tree 2S, as shown inFig. 7, having the tug bolts such as 92 and 0B connected to the linkssuch as 96 and 97. Each shaft 1011 has a bearing member 106 .slidablymounted thereon and surrounding each shaft is a coil spring 10T which isinte posed between said bearing member 106 and the shoulder 10S carriedby the side of the tongue 1. Pivoted to each plate 103 is a lever 100.One end of this lever is piifoted to the inner end of the link 06 ofFig. Q2 and the other end of said lever is bifurcated and its lingersembrace the correspoi'iding shaft 1041 immediately in the rear of thebearing member 106` A plate 110 is disposed over the free end of thetongue, each side of which has two depending flanges, indicated b v thenumerals 111 and 112. respectively, which embrace the respective shaft10i immediately in front of the bean ing member 106 and to the rear endof vhich the cable S1 is attached. A rearward pull on said cable impartsa corresponding movement to the plate 110 and to the bearing member 106.A forward movement is thereby imparted to the outer end of the lever 100which operates through the links 00 to withdraw the tug bolts 02, ofFig. 22, from their respective breast straps. When the draft animals aredetached the yokes 105 drop down and serve as runners which support anddirect the tongue in case the vehicle is in rapid movement when thedraft animals are detached. t is to be observed that the links 60. 61,62 and 96 have a slidable connection with their respective arms so thatin case the tug bolt connected with either one of said links iswithdrawn independent of each other that its corresponding link willhave sufiicient play to permit the withdrawal thereof. Surrounding theshaft 7 is a strong coil spring 113, one end of which is attached to thesupport 5 and the other end of which is atn taehed to said shaft. lVhena pull is exerted on the cable 63 and the same is un wound from saidpulley 8, the cable S1 is wound upon the pulley 9. The rotation of theshaft 7, however, creates a tension on the spring 113 and when the cable68 is released, the tension of thesaid spring operates to reverse therotation of the shaft 7 and rewinds the cable 81 from the pulley 9 sothat the mechanism will be in its original position and ready to againrelease the draft animals when they are hitched thereto.

That l claim is 1. In a device of the class described a.

supporting element; a breast yoke mounted thereon, harness engagingmeans carried by the remote terminals of the breast yoke, a pair of gearwheels rotatably mounted with respect to the breast yoke, a plate and arack member depending from each side thereof, said rack members meshingwith .said respective gear wheels, a laterally eX- tending arm fixed tothe shaft of each gear wheel; links connectin the free ends of said armswith the harness engaging means ear# ried by the breast yoke terminals,and means for moving said plate.

2. n a device of the class described a` tongue, a double tree and abreast yoke pivoted to the tongue, swingle trees pivoted to the doubletree, harness engaging means carried by the terminals of the breast yokeand swingle trees, a pair of gear wheels mounted upon the breast yokeand also a pair of gear wheels mounted upon each of the swingle trees, ashaft for each gear wheel, an arm fixed to each of said shafts andarranged to swing around as its corresponding gear wheel is rotated, alink connecting the free end of each arm with the harness engaging meansof the corresponding terminal of the element by which said means iscarried and means for simultaneously rotating said gear wheels.

3. In a device of the class described, a tongue, a double tree and abreast yoke pivoted to the tongue, swingle trees pivoted to the doubletree, harness engaging means slidably secured to the terminals of thebreast yoke and swingle trees and arranged to move lengthwise relativethereto, a pair of gear wheels mounted upon the breastyoke and a pair ofgear wheels mounted upon each of the swingle trees, an arm operativelyconnected with each gear wheel and arranged to swing around as itscorresponding gear wheel is rotated, a link connecting the free end ofeach arm with the harness engaging means of the corresponding terminalof the element by which said means is earried, means for simultaneouslyrotating said gear wheels, and means engaging with the harness engagingmeans and causing a partial rotation thereof during their' lengthwisemovement.

4. ln a device of the class described, a tongue, a double Jtree mountedthereon, swingle trees pivoted to the double tree, harness engagingmeans carried by the terminals of the swingle trees, a pair of gearwheels rotatably mounted upon each swingle tree .and spaced apart, anarm operatively connected with each of said gear wheels and arranged toswing around as its gear wheel is rotated, a link connecting the freeend of each arm with the harness engaging means of the correspondingterminal of its swingle tree, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the doubletree, a bevel gear wheel fixed upon each end of said shaft, a screw gearlocated between and meshing with the respective gear wheels of eachswingle tree, a shaft for each of said screw gears for impartingrotation thereto, a' bevel gear carried by each of said last mentionedshafts which mesh with the corresponding bevel gear Wheels of the firstmentioned shaft and means for rotating the first mentioned shaft.

5. In a device of the class described, a tongue, a double tree mountedthereon, swingle trees pivoted to the'double tree, a pair of gear wheelsrotatably mounted upon each swingle tree and spaced apart, an armoperatively connected with each of said gear wheels and arranged toswing around as its gear wheel is rotated, horse detaching means carriedby the terminals of the swingle trees and operativelyv connected withsaid arm, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the double tree, means forrotating the same, a bevel gear wheel Xed upon each end of said shaft, ascrew gear located between and mesh-ing with the respective gear wheelsof each swingle tree, a. shaft for each of said screw gears slidablyconnected therewith and imparting rotation thereto, a bevel gear fixedupon each of said last mentioned shafts which mesh with thecorresponding bevel gear wheels of the first mentioned shaft.

6. In a device of the character described, a swingle tree, a pair ofgear wheels rotatably mounted thereon and spaced apart, an armoperatively connected with each of said gear wheels and arranged toswing around as its gear wheel is rotated, horse detaching means carriedby the terminals of the swingle tree and operatively connected with saidarms, a screw gear located between and meshing with said gear wheels andmeans for rotating said gear wheels.

7. In a device of t-he class described, a supporting element, a doubletree and a breast yoke pivoted thereto, swingle trees pivoted to thedouble tree and having a resilient connection therewith, harnessengaging means carried by the terminals of the breast yoke and theswingle trees, a pair of gear wheels mounted upon each of the swingletrees, a shaft for each gear wheel, an arm fixed to each of said shaftsand arranged to swing around as its corresponding wheel is rotated, alink connecting the free end of each arm with the harness engaging meansof the corresponding terminal of the swingle t-ree by which said meansis carried, means for simultaneously rotating said gear wheel, and amechanism operatively connected with the harness engaging means carriedby the terminals of the breast yoke and operating the samesimultaneously with the harness engaging means carried by the terminalsof the swingle tree.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE B. CUMMONS.

Witnesses MAY MONTGOMERY, J. C. CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

